Generously Proportioned Penn Dropping Excess Baggage

Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ starting left tackle, Donald Penn, who’s a restricted free agent, has been at odds with management over his second consecutive one-year offer, exasperated over the lack of a long term contract extension Penn’s weight ballooned up to well over 350 pounds last season. Re-channeling his energy in a more positive way this off-season, Penn’s hoping a renewed commitment to weight training and an excess tonnage drop will position him to have a phenomenal season.

On a twice-per-day workout regiment Penn has lost more then 35 pounds and is tipping the scales at a svelte 325 pounds reports Stephen Holder of the St. Petersburg Times. Holder sighting Offensive line coach Pete Mangurianbared witness to the slimmed down Penn, on a recent trip to Southern California.

With OTAs getting underway next week, for both veterans and rookies and no resolution in sight, the burning question is will Penn show? Penn who has been seeking the coveted long-term contract extension and financial security that’s associated with it, for the past two years, possibly will be missing in action until the team’s mandatory mini-camp in late June.

Undoubtedly, even without a long-term extension Penn will sign his one year tender and report for training camp. The good news is that either way he will arrive at training camp in shape, which will be viewed positively by management.